An American B-52 strategic bomber flies in formation with Israeli Air Force F-35i and F-15i fighter jets. (IDF)
A sudden surge of U.S. refueling aircraft in Qatar is fueling speculation of new strikes on Iran.
By World Israel News Staff
The U.S. military has launched a major deployment of dozens of refueling aircraft to Qatar in recent days, positioning them at Al Udeid Air Force Base in the Gulf kingdom, as well as at other locations in the Middle East and Europe.
The buildup has sparked widespread speculation that Washington may be gearing up for a new round of strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Dozens of American Air Force planes — including KC-135 and KC-46A refueling aircraft — were tracked making their way from U.S. air bases across the Atlantic.
Several stopped for a few hours at air bases in the United Kingdom, before continuing toward the Middle East.
“The transatlantic flight of a fleet of KC-135s and KC-46As is not an isolated event, but a strategic deployment designed to ensure immediate global reach and air superiority in the event of kinetic operations,” wrote defense analyst Teoman S. Nicanci for the military outlet Army Recognition.
“What remains unclear is whether this is the prelude to a wider U.S. or NATO operation, or a show of force aimed at deterring Tehran,” he added.
The last time the U.S. carried out a comparable large-scale deployment of Air Force assets to the region was shortly before the Trump administration’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the Fordow site, in June.
“Critically, in Operation Midnight Hammer, the Trump administration executed a decoy or deception effort to mask the flight of the B-2 bombers to Iran,” said Behnam Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told UK outlet the Daily Mail.
“Big military movements on [President Donald Trump’s] watch are something to keep an eye on,” Taleblu stressed.
The Pentagon has not publicly commented on the reason for the deployment.
On Sunday, the former commander of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps told Iranian state media that should a conflict with Israel resume, Tehran could potentially target American military assets in the region.
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